Author Archives: davetcourt

Palm Sunday (April 9th) will mark the start of Holy Week. In the Christian calendar, Holy Week follows in Jesus’ footsteps towards Jerusalem, and ultimately to the accomplishment of the Cross and the Resurrection. Having grown up in a non-liturgical environment, it was an opportunity for employment at a Lutheran Church nearly 10 years agoContinue reading “The Least and the Last- Understanding the Transfiguration in Mark 9”

(This reflection contains spoilers, so be aware of that if you have not seen Logan) First, a quick note on the (should be) obvious- Logan is not your typical superhero film. It definitely earns the 18A rating (something to be aware of if you have personal sensitivities to violence or language). In many respects, theContinue reading “Logan, Lent, and the Promise of New Life”

“And (Jesus) asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Christ.” – Mark 8:29-30 There is an interesting dynamic that surfaces for modern readers of Mark’s Gospel, as we encounter his words from the outside looking in. We have, after all, the benefit of this outside perspective,Continue reading “Learning to Live in God’s Economy- Rediscovering the Way of the Cross in Mark 8”

Sickness managed to sideline me from doing much writing this week, but I did want to take a moment before the hours click away on this weeks end, to offer a brief reflection on my continued journey through Mark. As I made my way through chapters 6-8, there were a few things that stood outContinue reading “Finding Nourishment in the Storm (The Gospel of Mark 6-8)”

“Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith’… And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’ – Mark 4:40-41 At the end of chapter 4 we discover that the disciples, those who are supposed to seeContinue reading “A Faith that Stands Taller Than Fear- reflections in the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Mark.”

This is undoubtedly the prevailing question of the last few years when it comes to discussing the entertainment industries longest running awards show- Do the Oscars still matter? To be honest, I’m not sure. They might, they might not. It does seem simple at first. Lower ratings mean fewer people watching, while an increase in controversyContinue reading “Do the Oscars Still Matter? Maybe. Should They Matter? Yes.”

“Father’, said the Lord of Chikugo, ‘you and the other missionaries do not seem to know Japan.’  ‘And you, honourable magistrate,’ answered the Priest, ‘you do not seem to know Christianity.’ Silence, page166 (Shusaku Endo) Written by Shusaku Endo and adapted for the screen by Martin Scorsese, Silence tells the story of two 17th centuryContinue reading “Scorsese, Silence, and the Parable of the Sower”

In my previous reflection, I noted the transition from John (the Baptizer) to Jesus in the first chapter of Mark’s Gospel, a transition that pushes us into a fuller discussion of the nature of discipleship- the call to follow Jesus on the Way. Recognizing the Way as a movement in (and into) life in theContinue reading “The Provocative Gospel of Jesus, The Son of God- reflections on the third chapter of the Gospel of Mark”

I reflected in my previous posts that the first chapter of Mark is primarily concerned with helping us to “see” the person and works of Christ- Jesus is where John points us and Jesus is the one that we are called to follow on the Way. In the second chapter of Mark we begin toContinue reading “The Counterintuitive Ways of Jesus- Reflections in the Second Chapter of Mark”

In my previous reflection on the first chapter of Mark, I focused on my response to “the Kingdom of God coming near”, suggesting it necessarily be shaped by the following two ideas: 1. Repentance (a turning towards Jesus) 2. Belief in the Gospel of God (living into the “way” which John comes to prepare andContinue reading “The Pattern of Discipleship: Further Reflections on the First Chapter of The Gospel of Mark”